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Native English Teacher Found Dead in Suicide
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Gillian57



Joined: 14 Oct 2008

PostPosted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 7:46 pm    Post subject: Native English Teacher Found Dead in Suicide Reply with quote

01-2010 19:30

Native English Teacher Found Dead in Suicide

A Korean-Canadian, who worked in Busan as a native English teacher, was found dead in an apparent suicide, police said Thursday.

Police said the teacher identified by his surname Kim, was found hanging at home near Haeundae, a scenic beach in the nation's second largest city, at 5:20 p.m. Wednesday. The head of a private language institute where the 35-year-old Canadian worked first reported it to police.

He told them that he found the teacher hanging in the living room when he visited the apartment, as the teacher missed work and did not respond to repeated phone calls, Wednesday.

"We believe it's a suicide because no signs of foul play were found on the body," a detective familiar with the case said. "But we will continue to investigate to find the exact cause of death."

[email protected]
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2010/04/113_63493.html
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nautilus



Joined: 26 Nov 2005
Location: Je jump, Tu jump, oui jump!

PostPosted: Fri Apr 02, 2010 10:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I saw that. Condolences to the family.


Anyone on here know him?
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Mr. Kalgukshi



Joined: 19 Jan 2003
Location: Here or on the International Job Forums

PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 2:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This thread was temporarily removed while we dealt with some very inappropriate comments. As a result, a now former member has been permanently banned.

Less than civil comments on this thread are not welcome and will surely get the attention they deserve from the Mod Team should they make their way here.


Last edited by Mr. Kalgukshi on Sat Apr 03, 2010 3:15 am; edited 1 time in total
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dirving



Joined: 19 Nov 2009
Location: South Korea

PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 3:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks, Kalagukshi, for keeping flamers away from a sad story like this one.

One of my best friends from England, who was a member here, allegedly killed himself by jumping off of a bridge in Seoul back in Autumn of 2004. His death was very suspicious, and his sister and I will never believe the authorities explanation.
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Burndog



Joined: 17 Feb 2008

PostPosted: Sat Apr 03, 2010 7:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Terrible.

It's timely perhaps to urge anyone suffering through depression whilst in Korea to seek help. A good first step is to talk to friends and family (in Korea and back home...but probably not Korean co-workers as there can be a bit of a stigma attached here) and admit that you're experiencing some difficulty. Seek professional help if you need to, and before you do anything drastic...go home.

I don't mean that in a harsh way. I'm just suggesting that the cost of an airfare and a return to familiar surrounds is a much smaller price to pay for you and ultimately the people who love you also.

You aren't alone. Talk to someone.

One of my best mates back home committed suicide during my first year in Korea. Most of us had no idea that he was depressed. It was the worst part of it all...just knowing that if he had reached out there were hundreds of people who would have wanted to help him.


dirving, I'm sorry to hear about that. There's nothing more painful and frustrating than feeling that you will never get to the bottom of something so tragic and painful...and every time you see a news story like the one above the old feelings come back.
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Yaya



Joined: 25 Feb 2003
Location: Seoul

PostPosted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 1:29 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I remember a poster using the name shawner88 also committed suicide after moving to China. He wrote a book on his Korea experience and was so positive about the country, then moved to China.

I think the stress of living in a foreign country, especially Korea, is underrated. Even living X number of years in that country doesn't mean the stress goes away. I guess for some, their capacity to handle that stress (or to handle long-standing problems) is more deficient than others.
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cubanlord



Joined: 08 Jul 2005
Location: In Japan!

PostPosted: Sun Apr 04, 2010 1:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yaya wrote:
I think the stress of living in a foreign country, especially Korea, is underrated. Even living X number of years in that country doesn't mean the stress goes away. I guess for some, their capacity to handle that stress (or to handle long-standing problems) is more deficient than others.


While I agree that one does experience a certain amount of stress living in a foreign country, I must comment that the stress can be avoided. No one has to go to a foreign country. Moreover, if it starts to get stressful in the foreign country, then that person can go back home.

My condolencesto the family.
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sojusucks



Joined: 31 May 2008

PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 3:57 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Burndog wrote:
Terrible.

It's timely perhaps to urge anyone suffering through depression whilst in Korea to seek help. A good first step is to talk to friends and family (in Korea and back home...but probably not Korean co-workers as there can be a bit of a stigma attached here) and admit that you're experiencing some difficulty. Seek professional help if you need to, and before you do anything drastic...go home.

I don't mean that in a harsh way. I'm just suggesting that the cost of an airfare and a return to familiar surrounds is a much smaller price to pay for you and ultimately the people who love you also.

You aren't alone. Talk to someone.

One of my best mates back home committed suicide during my first year in Korea. Most of us had no idea that he was depressed. It was the worst part of it all...just knowing that if he had reached out there were hundreds of people who would have wanted to help him.


dirving, I'm sorry to hear about that. There's nothing more painful and frustrating than feeling that you will never get to the bottom of something so tragic and painful...and every time you see a news story like the one above the old feelings come back.


This reminds me of Mike White. He drowned but how? The Korean government wanted to blame suicide but his mother still hasn't dropped the issue because she knows otherwise. Keep the search going. Sounds like some investigating needs to be done in this case too.
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Tundra_Creature



Joined: 11 Jun 2009
Location: Canada

PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 6:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Always sad when suicide (or any kind of untimely death) happens.

Condolences to the family.
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goingtothecountry



Joined: 15 Aug 2010

PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 7:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I was in Haeundae for Chusook. Found a place that sold soon dae for 3000, a club where the entrance fee was only 20,000 (sarcasm) and4 star hotel for only 100,000 a night. The people were friendly and I wish I stayed there longer. I had thought about moving down there. Although a warning about the beach. 3 feet in, it's all rocks for a few. I found out the painful way. I doubt it was the location, more the person. Kinda like most of the posters here.
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mcviking



Joined: 24 Mar 2009
Location: 'Fantastic' America

PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 8:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I noticed from a poster a while back that a majority of foreigner suicides are in Busan. Very strange to me. I can't wait to be home in a few weeks. I am sorry this happened.
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madoka



Joined: 27 Mar 2008

PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 10:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

cubanlord wrote:
Yaya wrote:
I think the stress of living in a foreign country, especially Korea, is underrated. Even living X number of years in that country doesn't mean the stress goes away. I guess for some, their capacity to handle that stress (or to handle long-standing problems) is more deficient than others.


While I agree that one does experience a certain amount of stress living in a foreign country, I must comment that the stress can be avoided. No one has to go to a foreign country. Moreover, if it starts to get stressful in the foreign country, then that person can go back home.


That's why I find it so disturbing when posters tell newbs how to bypass the medical/mental health checks. Those rules are there for a reason, not just for the student's benefit, but those of the teacher. Generally, it's not a good idea for people with depression to leave their comfort zones to teach alone in a strange foreign country.
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NYC_Gal



Joined: 08 Dec 2009

PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 1:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How very sad. I hope his family can cope with this loss.
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SinclairLondon



Joined: 17 Sep 2010

PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 3:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cubanlord wrote:

Quote:
No one has to go to a foreign country. Moreover, if it starts to get stressful in the foreign country, then that person can go back home.


Refugees. Immigrant children and teens accompanying their parents. Wives moving with their husbands. Students being pressured to study/live abroad.

My friend's cousin committed suicide in Boston. He came to America to study from Nepal. After about two years, he wanted to return home. But couldn't. His parents put all of their savings into his education. They would have never understood his decision to leave. He was expected to become a doctor. Didn't know what to do. Threw himself in front of a train.
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liveinkorea316



Joined: 20 Aug 2010
Location: South Korea

PostPosted: Wed Sep 29, 2010 3:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

madoka wrote:
cubanlord wrote:
Yaya wrote:
I think the stress of living in a foreign country, especially Korea, is underrated. Even living X number of years in that country doesn't mean the stress goes away. I guess for some, their capacity to handle that stress (or to handle long-standing problems) is more deficient than others.


While I agree that one does experience a certain amount of stress living in a foreign country, I must comment that the stress can be avoided. No one has to go to a foreign country. Moreover, if it starts to get stressful in the foreign country, then that person can go back home.


That's why I find it so disturbing when posters tell newbs how to bypass the medical/mental health checks. Those rules are there for a reason, not just for the student's benefit, but those of the teacher. Generally, it's not a good idea for people with depression to leave their comfort zones to teach alone in a strange foreign country.


Not true at all. I mean you would have a point if depression did not lead to suicide in people's home countries. But in fact it does. Just because somewhere is a little bit more difficult to live in does not automatically lead to suicide. Suicide is not generally caused by having a "difficult time". When it is caused by depression, as you suggest, then simply working/living in a difficult environment is not the cause. Otherwise warzones and very poor countries would have high suicide rates but in fact they are very low. You are overplaying the importance of environment in suicide. Did you know suicides happen to rich and successful people who lead seemingly happy lives (from the outside)?

Basically, blaming environment is not right. Depression and suicide are far more complex for anyone to say that "generally" going overseas is not a good idea. I can think of many cases in which it would be preferable to staying in one's home country.
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